Method of converting matte.



PATENITBD AUG. 1,1905.

R. :McmALmL y METHOD 0F GONVBRTING MATTE.;

HEBT 2.

z sHEETs--s APPLICATION FILED APR.8.1904.

WITN ESSES nmmsw4 s. GRAHAM co, rhowALlrwauPnEns. WAININMON. vv C.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE Specification of Letters Patent.

lPatented Aug. 1, 1905.'

'Application filed April 8,-1904. Serial No. 202,193.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH BAGGALEY, of Y lPittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulMethod of Converting Matte, of

which the following is a description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in Whichs l l Figure 1 shows in verticallongitudinal section a converter which has been lined in accordance withmy invention.- Fig. 2 is a vertical -cross-section on the line TI II ofFig. 1.

In producing copperby the Bessemer-process it is customary, after theore or concentrates have been smelted in a blast-furnace orreverberatory furnace and reduced thereby into a matte varyingapproximately from', say,-thirty to forty per cent. up to lifty or sixtyper cent. copper, vto transfer such matte into a converter having alining of from eighteen to twenty-four inches in thickness of silicabonded with sufficient clay to hold the lining in place. When theair-blast is supplied through the converting-twyers, the iron content ofthe matte after being oxidized attacks and rapidly destroys the silicalining,

with which it combines to form silicate of iron, v

which, being less in specic gravity, floats as a slag on the top of themolten matte and can thus be removed.

The methods by which converters have been lined heretofore have beenvery expensive, for it has been deemed necessary in order to make thelining .effective to apply it in .the form of ground quartz mixed withclay in a plastic mass, which is carefully packed and rammed firmly andevenly in plac. This work is laborious and can only be done at a cost ofabout forty dollars for each relining, and as this lining must berenewed after every few blows of the converter the total expense is verygreat, and it is necessary to employ a special crew of men and to use alarge number of spare converter-shells in order to make it possible tocarry on lthe operations of the plant without interruption. As a rulethe plastic lining cannot be evenly rammed. Hence some portions areporous and are easily attacked by the oxidized iron of the matte, whileother portions that have been more firmly packed remain unconsumed. Asthe life of the lining must be controlled by its thinnest portion, ithas often been necessary to discard a lining when less than one-half ofit has been eifectively consumed.

I have discovered a method by which the v expense and large investmentof capital which the prior methods have required are avoided and bywhich converters can be lined quickly and almost without cost.

The character of the lining which is made by my invention is of specialutility, for the reason that it is loose and open and is therefore morerapidly attacked by the oxidized iron of the matte, thus enabling theconverting operation to be carried on more rapidly. The prior liningsbeing packed firmly against the converter were slowlyI attacked by thematte, the rapidity of their 'wear being due to the fact that they wouldbe eaten out in spots.

suicient, however, to neutralize or satisfy the silica of the ore, butsuiiicient to form aflux which when the vmixture is heated will cinterthe mass somewhat and make it adhesive. l distribute this ore on theinterior of the converter, preferably principally on the side of theconverter opposite to the twyers, where the reactions principally takeplace. This may be done either by spreading the orel over the interiorof the converter with a shovel or by placing it in the converter in amass and then tipping the converter back and forth. I then, by means offlame from oil or gas jets in the converter, heat the layer of siliciousore suiiiciently to cause it to combine with the small -proportion ofiron oxid and to cinter. This Will make it somewhat adhesive and willcause it to cohere as a mass and to adhere to the converter-shell in aloose'and unpacked lining of the necessary thickness.

Wherethe converter has been heated by previous blows, less heat will berequired to cause the cintering of the lining.

The lining can be applied so quickly as not to interrupt to any materialextent the operation of the converter and can be applied without specialskill and with practically no eX- tra labor. Silica is offless specificgravity than molten matte, and hence the lining must lining, iron oxidor other ux must be especially added to cause it to cinter; but this isnot necessary where sillci'ous ore containing iron 1s employed.

When the converter is charged with matte and is blown, the reactionstake place in the ordinary way, except that the lining being unpackedand of open and porous nature, and therefore exposing a very large areaof contact to the bath, will unite with great rapidity with the oxidizediron and will shorten the period of the conversion. rlhe location ofthisv lining directly opposite the twyers is also especially favorablefor very quick work. Every particle of the lining is utilizedeffectively, whereas in present practice a large proportion is wasted.As an illustration of its effectiveness over that in common use I haveactually blown a double converter charge to excellent blister-copper99.4: iine in iifty-ive minutes, which I believe to be unparalleled inpast converting practice.

The metal values contained in the ore lining will be incorporated in thebath, and the lining therefore becomes a very important source ofprofit.

Referring now to the drawings, in which I show a converter which hasbeen lined in accordance with my invention, 2 is the converter body,which may have an incasing waterjacket 3 and an interior lining 4 ofmagnesite brick or other suitable basic or neutral material.

5 is the silicious-ore lining, which is applied in accordance with myinvention. The converter is provided with burners 6, adapted to supplygas or oil mixed with air and steam, and thus to create heat forcintering the silicious material of the lining.

A matte-bessemerizing converter having a distributed adhering lining oi'cintered uupacked silicious material is claimed in my application,Serial No. 257,824, liled April 28, 1905.

I claim as my invention* l. rIhe method herein described oi convertingmatte, which consists in distributing a lining of unpacked siliciousmaterial over the working area of the interior of the converter,cintering the same in place, introducing matte into the converter, andblowing air therethrough; substantially as described.

2. The method herein described of converting matte, which consists indistributing a lining of unpacked silicious ore over the working area ofthe interior of the converter, eintering the same in place,introducingmatte into the converter and blowing air therethrough; substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

RALPH BAGGALEY.

Witnesses:

J. H. REED, THOMAS W. BAKEWELL.

